• A good desk should provide style and functionality in your workspace.
  • The Three Posts Lamantia computer desk does both, fitting in with the rest of your decor while providing a work surface that meets all of your needs, and is equipped to house a laptop or desktop computer.
  • If you’re looking for a desk that keeps you more active during the day, check out our guide to the best standing desks.
  • If you need a supportive office chair to pair with your new desk, check out our guide to the best office chairs.

A good desk is a fundamental part of a productive workspace, whether you do most of your work at home or commute to an office. Not liking your desk can put a serious cramp in your workflow. It’s important that you choose one that suits the space it will be in, but you also want one that you’ll be comfortable sitting at for stretches of time.

Make sure you choose one that appeals to your sense of style and will fit in well with the rest of the space it will be occupying. If you’re completely redoing the room your new desk will call home, consider buying the desk that appeals to you first, and then style the rest of the room around it.

How you’ll be using your desk can help you determine which type will best suit your needs. Make sure you get a desk that can accommodate any of the electronics you plan on using. If you’re a Type A personality, and things like color-coded folders get you excited, you may want a desk with extra storage to keep everything in its rightful place. Some desks even come with built-in filing cabinets so you can color-code, label, and organize to your heart’s content.

How much space you have for this new piece of furniture can be a big factor in determining which desk you ultimately end up choosing. While many of us dream of owning a big executive style desk, not all of us have the square footage to accommodate that. You want a desk that will fit comfortably into the room, without making it feel cramped. Corner desks are a great option, and if you’re especially tight on floor space, a floating desk that attaches to the wall can be an even better solution.

Here are the best desks for your home or office:

Prices and links are current as of 6/2/20. Due to stock issues, we replaced our pick for the best desk on a budget. We also removed our pick for the best U-shaped desk due to stock issues. We are looking into a replacement.

The best overall

The Three Posts Lamantia Computer Desk will subtly fit in with the rest of your design aesthetic, and provides the space to house a computer and store your office necessities.

If you want a desk that can multi-task right along with you, and look good while doing it, the Lamantia computer desk might be the solution. True to its name, it can easily accommodate a desktop or laptop computer. However, thanks to the simple and subtle design, you wouldn't immediately think, "that's a desk meant for a computer" or need a computer to make it functional. This can easily double as a simple writing desk.

The unassuming style also makes this a desk that can work with many different décor themes. This isn't a statement piece, but rather, a piece of furniture that can easily be worked into an existing space, whether your design aesthetic leans towards a more modern or traditional style.

This desk provides ample room for working without taking over the room, standing at 29-inches tall, and 59-inches wide. A nice amount of storage is provided in the form of a cabinet and two functioning drawers. There is also a hidden roll-out keyboard tray, which can double as another drawer for storage if you don't need it for a computer keyboard. When not in use, the tray rolls in and closes so the front looks like another traditional pull out drawer.

The Lamantia is made from manufactured wood, and you can choose from three different finishes: Chalked Chestnut, Auburn Cherry, and Estate Black. The different finish choices give you even more freedom when it comes to matching this desk with your room décor. A generous five-year product warranty is included with the Lamantia.

It is on the heavier side, but in this case, the heaviness corresponds with quality. It's also easy to assemble with clear step-by-step instructions.

Pros: Subtle design allows it to go with many different design themes, ample storage space, allows for computer use but can also be used as a traditional writing desk, easy-to-follow assembly instructions

Cons: Thin veneer backing makes this best suited to go against a wall

The best on a budget

Foto: Source: Wayfair

The Christin Desk's sleek, modern design adds style to an office at a budget-friendly price.

If you're looking for a stylish desk to add to your office space, but you're decorating on a budget, the mid-century-inspired Christin Desk from Gracie Oaks is a great option. Thanks to its slim, minimalist styling, it won't take up too much space, making it ideal for your cozy apartment or small home office. Three 12-inch by 11.75-inch drawers offer plenty of storage space for a laptop, office accessories, and stationery.

The dark wood and metal legs give it a nice modern vibe. The desk is made from MDF particleboard, but it is laminated to help prevent stains, scratches, or warping. For this price, we wouldn't expect solid wood, but the steel legs offer a nice touch not always found in budget-friendly desks. Manufactured wood furniture tends to be heavy, so keep that in mind.

The Christin stands at 32-inches tall, 42-inches wide, and 18.75-inches deep, allowing it to fit into tighter spaces. Even if you have a larger room, this makes for a great accent piece if, for example, your office space is part of your living room or you need a console table in a hallway.

This is a bit more expensive than some of our previous best budget desk picks, but Wayfair's cheaper furniture tends to come with a lot of negative reviews due to low-quality materials. The Christin fares much better in this regard, so we think it's worth the extra cost.

Pros: Affordable, stylish, durable, easy to assemble

Cons: Desktop may not be big enough for a larger computer set-up

The best customizable office desk

Foto: Source: The Container Store

You can build a Custom Desk from The Container Store based on your needs, rather than altering your workflow to suit the desk.

For many of us, one-size-fits-all just doesn't cut it. With The Container Store's Custom Desk, you can select the tabletop finish, legs, drawers, and cabinets, and then easily put it all together.

To start, pick the desk configuration that appeals to you. You can get the standard tabletop and four legs, or swap out the legs for a metal file cabinet or mesh drawers. From there, you can choose the finish for the desk and legs, or pick which color file cabinet (from Bisley) suits your personality. You can opt for an all-white look if you're the minimalist type, or funk it up with different colors.

When you get bored of the look or it no longer fits your workflow, you can change it up later. And, should you need to move, you can easily disassemble it and put it back together later.

While the online customization options are limited, The Container Store has a ton of desk accessories you can add, ranging from organizers to storage and chairs. The downside is that it will be pricey, but the components are very high-quality.

For a less-expensive option, we also like the customizable desks from Ikea. Similarly, you can pick the desktop and legs, and components are reasonably priced. We also like that Ikea offers tabletops and legs in various sizes, making it even more customizable. The quality isn't as good as The Container Store, and there's always the dreaded Ikea assembly process to contend with, but we've never had major issues with the desks we've used. - Les Shu

Pros: Customizable, easy to assemble, high-quality components

Cons: Limited customizable options and sizes

The best L-shaped desk

Foto: Source: Bush Furniture

The Bush Furniture Cabot L-Shaped desk can fit nicely into a corner, provides plenty of storage and organization, and an extended amount of desktop for you to spread out.

Whether you work from home or you commute into the office, the Cabot L-Shaped desk will look good in either space. If you've been feeling cramped at your current desk, the two surfaces provided by the L-shape configuration may be just what you need to spread out and work more productively. More surface space also means more storage options, and the Cabot definitely delivers in this aspect.

You'll be able to find a place for everything thanks to a cabinet with a fluted glass door, an open storage cubby for easy access to supplies, and a box drawer. There's also a built-in filing cabinet and a cable management system to help you keep all those computer cords organized. Even if you aren't the organized type, this is a desk that can help you get there.

Features including four built-in USB ports and a soft storage tray to store electronics like your phone or tablet make this feel like a high-end desk, but it comes in at an extremely affordable price for all that it offers.

Though it isn't built out of solid wood, the elegant design does keep quality in mind, with details like a glass front cabinet and chrome hardware. The Cabot is available in four different finishes: espresso oak, harvest cherry, heather gray, and white so you can choose the look that will best compliment your office space.

If you're dealing with a small office, this may not be the best option, but if you have an empty corner or a larger space to work with, the features and affordability of this desk make it a worthwhile investment.

Assembly time is estimated to take around four hours, and while this is a significant amount of time, it makes sense given the size of the desk. If you don't have the patience, expert assembly is available.

Pros: L-shape allows for more workspace, ample storage space, additional features like cord management and built-in USB ports, option for expert assembly, affordable

Cons: Lengthy assembly time, particleboard may show wear over time

The best standing desk

Foto: Source: Fully

The Fully Jarvis Standing Desk allows you the flexibility to go between sitting and standing at the push of a button, and even at its full height, it's stable enough to support your entire workstation set up.

In recent years, it's become common knowledge that sitting is pretty bad for you. Not only can a lack of movement throughout the day cause weight gain and fatigue, but it can also contribute to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. The average American spends up to 15 hours a day sitting sedentary, so there's every incentive to getting up out of your desk chair.

The Fully Jarvis Standing Desk gives you the opportunity to convert your workspace from sitting to standing with the push of a button. The motorized desk can extend up to about 50 inches at its tallest but can be set at any height that's comfortable for you.

The desk is smart enough to remember four preset heights, so if you share your desk with a family member or coworker, you can automatically adjust the desk to your preferred height with minimal fiddling around.

The motor is reasonably quiet, so it won't interrupt others at work around you, and it supports up to 350 pounds, so if you have a huge gaming setup or you're an audio fiend with tons of speakers, you won't have to worry about burning out the motor on this desk. It's got plenty of lifting power.

If you do want to take a seat, you can lower the desk to a standard desk height of 25 inches.

The Fully Jarvis is our top overall pick in our guide to the best standing desks, so if you're looking to create a healthier work environment, alleviate back pain, improve your posture, and generally increase your well-being, we stand behind this desk - no pun intended.

Pros: Creates a flexible work environment, four preset heights, stable even when fully extended

Cons: Office-like aesthetic may not work with some home decor

The best for small spaces

Foto: Source: Prepac

If you don't have much room to spare, the Prepac Wall-Mounted Desk will easily fit into small spaces, providing you with a work area that's equipped with storage while freeing up valuable floor space.

Just because you have a small office space doesn't mean you need to go without a desk. Instead of making your kitchen table do double duty, consider another alternative: the floating desk. This type of desk mounts directly to your wall so you don't need to clutter up your floor space with another piece of bulky furniture. The Prepac Wall-Mounted Desk is the best of both worlds: it's compact while still providing an impressive amount of storage space.

You'll be able to have a designated place for your laptop and office supplies, thanks to the built-in shelves. Even more impressive for such a compact piece of furniture, it has a cable management system to keep things neat and tidy.

The Prepac is 19.8-inches deep, 42.2-inches long, and 39.5-inches tall. At these dimensions, it provides just enough space to help you get your work done, without taking over the entire wall. It's made from composite wood that has been laminated for extra protection against stains or warping and is surprisingly sturdy thanks to the metal rail hanging system that can hold up to 100 pounds. This system also allows the Prepac to be hung at any height.

Its simple design aesthetic allows this desk to fit in with many different décor styles, and there are three different finish colors to choose from. The Prepac also comes with a 5-year manufacturer's limited warranty.

Assembly is required, and the Prepac does come with a detailed instruction booklet, and you'll likely need a second person to complete the assembly and mounting process.

Pros: Sturdy design thanks to the metal rail hanging system, can be hung at any height, cord management, offers storage options while still saving space, floating design frees up floor space

Cons: Requires two people for assembly

The best over-the-bed desk

Foto: Source: Amazon

The Tribesigns Overbed Table is a great solution for those who need to work from bed or live in small spaces.

The Overbed Table offers a lot of functionality. Sure, my younger self would have loved this when I was a home-based freelance writer (who am I kidding, I would love to have this desk now), but this is a great solution for anyone unable to leave the bed due to injury, illness, or disability and needs to work from home. It's also ideal for studio apartment dwellers who want to make the most out of their space and the furniture they already own.

Measuring 65 inches in diameter, it easily hovers over a queen-sized bed or smaller. Clearance between desk and mattress will depend on the height of your bed - the measured height is approximately 38 inches. There is ample surface area (71 by 16 inches), which you can easily place a laptop or iMac on top of and still have room for desk accessories, snacks, reference books, or whatever else you need (it will hold up to 350 pounds).

Another plus is that it glides on industrial-quality locking wheels, making it easy to move out of the way when you need to get out of bed or push it against a wall.

Available in black or white, the Overbed Table can also be used as a regular desk, breakfast or cocktail bar, or whatever you can think of. - Les Shu

Pros: Fits over bed (up to queen), ample surface space, quality wheels, can be used for other purposes

Cons: Heavy, some particleboard, not easy to move if there are too many heavy items on top

Check out our other home office guides

Foto: Source: Varier

The best standing desks

So many jobs involve sitting at a desk for hours each day, and it can be hard to break away to incorporate more standing without sacrificing productivity. If you have a standing desk, you can convert your space to a much more active one, improving your health and energy levels. These are the best standing desks.

The best active seating for your office

Active seating promotes movement, improves posture, and activates your core while sitting, and some models can work in tandem with a standing desk, so you can find the perfect combination of sitting and standing throughout the day. These are our top picks for the best active seating.

The best office chairs

If you spend the majority of your day parked in your office chair, you owe it to your body to choose a chair that gets an A+ for ergonomics. Our top picks will help improve your posture and may even help relieve back pain.

The best desk lamps for your office

If you have a home office, it's important to have good lighting so you don't strain your eyes while typing away on your computer or going over documents. There are dozens of different desk lamps to choose from in all kinds of styles. These are the best desk lamps you can buy to light up your workspace in style.